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THE COAST NEWS
.com MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 25, NO. 19
THISWEEK
MAY 20, 2011
MAGGIE
CELEBRATING
SORTING IT OUT Area postal workers had
Litigation stands against planned growth of the Del Mar Fairgrounds
a little extra work on their hands rounding up thousands of pounds of food that residents B1 donated
By Bianca Kaplanek
SMOKE OUT The Del Mar Fairgrounds
public property and expending funds on researching ways to bring it down. Amy Sies, an Encinitas resident, said the piece is inappropriate for its current spot and that it should come down no matter its condition. “I think religious art has no place on public property,” she said. Stan Gafner, a self-proclaimed artist, agreed. He said the artists’ actions are “cowardly” and that he, she, or they should
COAST CITIES — Del Mar and Solana Beach have teamed up to challenge expansion plans at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Del Mar City Attorney Leslie Devaney announced at the May 9 meeting that council members agreed to “move forward with litigation” on the final environmental impact report that was certified by the fair board April 18. She said the city was also entering into a “joint representation agreement with Solana Beach in that particular matter.” “It’s not that anybody is suing anybody,” Solana Beach Councilman Dave Roberts said at his council meeting two days later. “This is a precautionary step to lead to meaningful dialogue,” he said. “It’s nothing more. It’s nothing less. “If we don’t do this it could have mega ramifications for years to come on this community,” Roberts said. Bob Mahlowitz, Del Mar deputy city attorney, said that city is “exploring its legal options in terms of challenging the EIR,” but it has not filed a lawsuit. The 22nd District Agricultural Association, which manages the stateowned fairgrounds, issued a draft EIR in 2009 proposing several improvements to the 340-acre site that would be completed during the next 15 years. Near-term plans included a 330-room condominium-hotel with an 18,000-square-foot ballroom, parking facilities for 58
TURN TO MADONNA ON A17
TURN TO FAIRGROUNDS ON A14
plans to curb smoking on the premises, but a few local residents say more A3 should be done
INSIDE
TWO SECTIONS, 52 PAGES
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Camp Pendleton News . . B14 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B19 Comics & Puzzles . . . . . A26 Consumer Reports . . . . A10 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Dining Guide . . . . . . . . B11 Hit the Road . . . . . . . . . B4 Hot Off the Block . . . . . . B6 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . A18 Letters to the Editor . . . . . A4 Lick the Plate . . . . . . . . B11 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . B7 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Pet Page . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Small Talk . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Taste of Wine . . . . . . . A11 Who’s News? . . . . . . . . . A7
HOW TO REACH US (760) 436-9737 CALENDAR SECTION: calendar@coastnewsgroup.com COMMUNITY NEWS: community@coastnewsgroup.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: letters@coastnewsgroup.com
Cities turn to law for talks
OFFICIALS, RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES HONOR FORMER MAYOR +667(89:;<7=(5>??:;(@6AB:C><(><7(!>D(#B>E;9F!9:G;(=C>9;(>(B>A?C(7A9:<?(>(G;9;D6<H(G;B;I9>E:<?(EC;(B:8;(68(@6AB:C><(6<(5>H J4( >E( #><( %:;?6( K6E><:G( +>97;<'( $C;( ?>97;<( L>=( E;DM69>9:BH( 9;EA9<;7( E6( :E=( 69:?:<>B( <>D;( 68( NA>:B( K6E><:G>B( +>97;<=( :< 5>??:;O=(C6<69'(P69(D69;(896D(EC;(;Q;<E0(EA9<(E6(!"#$%&'('((Photo by Daniel Knighton
City decides: ‘Surfing Madonna’ mosaic must go By Wehtahnah Tucker
ENCINITAS — Despite pleas from some residents, City Council unanimously agreed to fund a study to ensure the best way to remove the rogue art that has drawn hundreds of visitors and garnered national attention. The council voted to appropriate $2,000 for an art consulting group to determine the best way to remove the eclectic six-paneled mosaic, which features Our Lady of Guadalupe on a surfboard with the words “Save
the Ocean,” attached to a concrete structure under the railroad bridge that crosses Encinitas Boulevard just west of Vulcan Avenue. A secretive crew posing as construction workers installed the colorful 10-foot by 10-foot mosaic just before Easter. North County Transit District owns the railroad bridge, but the support area falls within land that the city maintains under a decadesold property management agreement with the transit district according to assistant
city manager Richard Philips. The public art has received overwhelming support but council members made it clear in the meeting on May 18 that the unsanctioned art had no place on public property. Deputy Mayor Jerome Stocks said allowing it to stay in its current spot actually gives future “artists” a potential defense should the city try to seek legal action against them. Some speakers rallied against keeping the art on
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